The Prophet’s Simplicity
November 22, 2011 in Character of a Muslim, Purification of the heart, Stories of the Prophets
Muhammad (peace be upon him) was a very simple person and spent all his life in simplicity. He was very unceremonious and informal in his habits. He ate whatever he was given, wore very thick and coarse cloth, even when he was the ruler of a state and undisputed leader of the people. He sat on the floor, bare ground or a mat without any hesitation, alone or in the company of other people. He ate bread made from coarse flour and even spent days on mere dates. He wore simple clothes and did not like display or show. He was by nature simple and liked simplicity and informality in everything.
Ibn Masud (may Allah be pleased with him) said that Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) slept on a reed mat and got up with the mark of it on his body. He said,
“O Allah’s Messenger! I wish you would order us to spread something out for you and make something.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied,
“What have I to do with the world, I am like a rider who rests for a while under the shade of a tree, then goes off and leaves it.”
Ubaid-Allah bin Muhsin (may Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) as saying,
“If anyone among you is secure in mind in the morning, healthy in body and has food for the day, it is as though the whole world has been brought into his Possession.”
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) as saying,
“Look at those who are inferior to you and do not look at those who are superior to you, for that is more likely to keep you from despising Allah’s Favor on you.”
Abu Talha (may Allah be pleased with him) said,
“When we complained to Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) of hunger and raised our clothes to show we were each carrying a stone over our belly, he raised his clothes and showed that he had two stones on his belly.”
He liked simple living and wanted his family to lead a simple life and abstain from ostentatious living. He often wore thick clothes. His bed was sometimes of rough blanket sometimes of skin filled with palm fibers and sometimes of ordinary coarse cloth.. In the ninth year of Al-Hijrah, when the Islamic state had extended from Yemen to Syria, its ruler had only one bed and one dry water-bag of skin. A’isha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that when he died, there was nothing in the house to eat except some barley.
Once Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) entered Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) house and noticed the state of the furniture in it. Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself had only one sheet of cloth round him to cover the lower part of his body. There was one simple bed, with one pillow filled with nut fiber; on one side of the room was some barley and in one corner near his feet was an animal skin. There were some water-bag skins hanging beside his bed. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said that on seeing this tears came into his eyes. Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) asked the reason for his tears. He replied,
“O Allah’s Messenger! Why shouldn’t I cry! The strings of the bed have left marks on your body. This is a small room with all your furniture; I can see what there is. The Kaiser (Cesar) of Rome and Kisra (Khosru) of Persia enjoy luxurious living while you, Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him), and the Chosen One, live like this.”
He said,
“Ibn Al-Khattab! Don’t you like that they choose this world and we choose the Hereafter?”.
In short, Muhammad (peace be upon him) lived and liked a simple life and enjoyed every minute of it. He taught his companions, through his personal example, to lead a simple life and not to be ostentatious.
Written by Dr. Ragheb Elsergany. Source link.
‘Prophet Ibrahim brought Isma’eel’s mother (his wife, Hajar) and Isma’eel, while she was still nursing him, and then camped with them next to (the area where) the House (the Kaa’bah) was to be built, next to a large tree just above (the area where now exists the well of) Zamzam and which is also above the Masjid (the Holy Masjid in Makkah). At that time, Makkah had neither inhabitants nor a known source of water. He left them there and left with them a bag full of dates and a Siqaa’ (a jug usually made of leather) full of water.
